LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska inmate who was free for two days after not returning as scheduled from a day on work release has been given two to four more years in prison.

37-year-old Nick Roberts had pleaded guilty to escape. Roberts was sentenced on Thursday.

Roberts was listed as escaped from the Lincoln Community Corrections Center on Nov. 28 He was arrested two days later in Lincoln.

At the time, Roberts was about two months from becoming eligible for parole on a two- to four-year sentence for theft and drunken driving. Now he must serve that full sentence, which will end in May. Then he’ll start his sentence of two to four years for escape.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 44-year-old woman accused of duping an elderly Lincoln woman has pleaded no contest to a reduced charge.

Ana Bredemeier had been charged with two felony counts of theft and one felony account of abuse of a vulnerable adult. After making a deal with prosecutors, Bredemeier pleaded no contest on Wednesday to obstructing government operations.

The offense carries a maximum sentence of a year. Her sentencing is scheduled for July 30.

A missing persons report filed in 2008 led police to Mexico, where Bredemeier was living with the elderly woman.

Lincoln officers and an attorney appointed to represent the woman went to Mexico and brought her back in June 2008.

Bredemeier later returned to Lincoln on her own.

BEATRICE, Neb. (AP) — A youth center in Beatrice has closed less than two years after opening, lacking steady funding to sustain it.

Dorothy Zimmerman heads the 429 Factory board of directors, and she said that the center “could never get on solid ground financially.”

The youth center opened in August 2010, offering a place for youths to go after school. It had game tables, a basketball court and concessions area, among many features and activities.

Board member Christina Lyons says members were charged $25 to attend during the school year and $10 for the summer.

More than 200 students were members.

The building owner says he’ll find a new tenant.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new state report says the number of crimes reported in Nebraska grew by 2 percent in 2011.

The Nebraska Crime Commission said in a report Thursday that more than 53,000 crimes were reported statewide last year, up from about 52,000 in 2010.

Commission executive director Michael Behm says the number of violent crimes decreased by 8 percent, despite a 20 percent jump in murder and manslaughter cases. Authorities reported 65 murder and manslaughter cases in 2011, up from 54 the previous year.

The report says the number of forcible rapes reported grew from 627 to 663. Robberies and aggravated assaults both decreased.

Crime in Omaha increased 7 percent, to more than 21,000 offenses last year. Lincoln experienced a 3 percent decrease, to about 11,200 reported cases.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new survey of bankers suggests the economy is slowing down in rural areas of 10 Midwest and Western states because of drought conditions.

The overall economic index dropped into negative territory at 47.9 in June from May’s 56.7. Any score below 50 on the index, which ranges from 1 to 100, suggests contraction in the months ahead.

The survey covers parts of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. It focuses on communities with 1,300 residents, on average.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says the drought is hard on farmers, livestock producers and ethanol plants in the region.

The confidence index collapsed to 40.9 in June from May’s strong 58.5. That suggests bankers aren’t confident in the economy over the next six months.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 56-year-old Omaha man has been convicted of using a telephone to make a bomb threat against a railroad yard in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

A news release from the Omaha office of U.S. Attorney Deborah Gilg says Ronald Martell has been sentenced to time served and ordered to pay restitution of more than $25,000 to Union Pacific Railroad.

Prosecutors say Martell called the Pottawattamie County, Iowa, 911 center on Jan. 6 and said he’d placed three bombs in the Union Pacific rail yard. He made a similar threat against the yard in a call on Jan. 14 to the Douglas County 911 center in Omaha.

Prosecutors say some people who worked in the yard were asked to listen to the 911 call recordings, and the workers recognized Martell’s voice.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a south-central Nebraska man is the state’s first reported human case of West Nile virus this season.

The Nebraska Health and Human Services Department says a man in his 70s in Hamilton County was hospitalized and has been released.

Officials urge people to take precautions, including using an insect repellant, wearing long sleeves and pants while outside, especially at dusk and dawn, and draining standing water where mosquitoes can breed.

West Nile virus has flu-like symptoms. Symptoms of the more serious West Nile encephalitis include inflammation of the brain and paralysis. The disease can be fatal.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Plattsmouth man who admitted in a 2003 outburst in court to killing his 4-year-old son has been granted a chance to challenge evidence that he says was planted.

On Thursday the Nebraska Supreme Court granted Ivan Henk a hearing on allegations that former Douglas County CSI director Dave Kofoed violated his civil rights as the crime lab investigated the death of Henk’s son, Brendan Gonzalez.

Henk is serving a life sentence after pleading guilty in 2005.

In 2010, Kofoed was convicted of evidence tampering in an unrelated murder case.

Henk’s lawyer subsequently filed an appeal with the Supreme Court.

Kofoed’s attorney says his client never planted any evidence.

YORK, Neb. (AP) — A 19-year-old York woman has been given two years of probation for having sex with an underage boy.

Crystal Moul had been facing a felony charge of sexual assault of a minor when she made a deal with prosecutors. She pleaded no contest to a reduced charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

Prosecutors say the incident occurred in November 2011. Under Nebraska law, people 19 and over cannot have sexual contact with people under 16.

Judge Alan Gless told Moul that he expected her to do well with probation.

He also told her that if she messed up, “you get to see me again, and you won’t like that at all.”

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The director of Nebraska’s insurance department is trying to assure lawmakers that the state has made progress in its efforts to comply with the federal health care law.

Bruce Ramge told a legislative panel Thursday that Nebraska is “on par” with other states in its plans to create a state-based marketplace where users can comparison shop for health insurance. Insurance officials say the state has contracted with a Chicago-based consulting firm to help design an exchange. The state must submit its plans to the federal government by Nov. 16.

One lawmaker voiced frustration that Gov. Dave Heineman’s administration was moving forward with a plan without more input from lawmakers. Columbus Sen. Paul Schumacher questioned whether Heineman has the authority to send a plan to federal authorities through an executive order.